Jan. 4, 2007 is the day whose footprints are still visible in my mind, and it came with an air of apprehension .
On this day, I set my feet on the American soil. As a youth from Cameroon in Africa, this day is as fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday, every bit of it is etched into my faculty.
The flight was long but my mind was alert. I saw and heard everything. Sleep travelled from my eyes as I entered the US. I was lucky my friend was there to pick me up at the air port. But actually, he was 20 minutes late, and unfortunatly ,it was winter.
The harsh cold hit my bones and forced me into my luggage in search of warm clothing. I forgot I never brought any. I was left with just one option: wearing three T-shirts in side two long-sleeve shirts.
The ride was cold but overwhelmingly intriguing. I was greatly astounded by the vast snow. I had to keep staring at it every now and then. It was my first time. Little did I know that as I was busy enjoying the scenery, my friend had a hell of a time trying to keep the car on the road.
He could not take it any more so we he had to stop at a restaurant. Here, I had my first instance of the differences in technology in the America.
As we went inside, I had to answer to nature’s call. I was happy he could stop for a while, but my happiness was short-lived. I discovered I could not flush the toilet.
Looking carefully at the toilet, I saw no button I had to use to flush. It was highly frustrating. Being a gentleman of my caliber, there was just no way I would leave the restroom in that manner.
I stood there in total bewilderment with occasional words of cursing. Cursing my misfortune. that is. Several minutes had gone by and my friend came searching.
As I heard his voice, probably some feet away, I came out , and lo and behold the toilet flushed itself. It was automatic ,but how on earth would I have known? That was the first pin in my flesh in the US.
As a result of diurnal variations due to my successive flights, I had to adjust with the time change, so I did not feel sleepy until about about 4 a.m.
All the night I was thinking. I pondered if I would be accepted in my new environment, then for once I thought about my friends.
Then I realized then that I missed them all. I cried a little and that was the pill that got me to sleep.
In a nutshell, I have always valued this special day in my life for it is an assertive one second to none. If not for anything but for the fact that it added manure on my field of diversity.
I would not do justice to myself if I end this without citing the American writer, John Updike, on his adage on diversity vis-É-vis experience,” You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions thumbprints in it.

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